Minnesota communities are done waiting on the FDA, taking the commercial tobacco fight to the local level

The Vadnais Heights city council recently voted unanimously to adopt a revised Commercial Tobacco Ordinance, which adds them to the growing number of Minnesota communities that are actively working to restrict or prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol. Currently, 26.2% of Minnesotans are covered by a flavored tobacco policy due to the work of advocates across the state working to reduce youth access to addictive substances and promote public health.

The new revised ordinance in Vadnais Heights bans the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products, puts a cap of six on retail tobacco licenses, and strengthens penalties for those that violate the ordinance. While other cities in Minnesota address and restrict flavored tobacco and/or e-cigarette products in some manner, Vadnais Heights becomes the 12^th city in the state to completely end the sale of flavored tobacco.

“Vadnais Heights is doing the right thing for their community. Commercial tobacco control cannot wait for the FDA. We need to take the fight to each community individually to ensure that we are protecting our kids and the community as a whole,” said Molly Schmidtke, policy and technical assistance manager at Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota. “Restricting the sale of all flavored commercial tobacco products saves lives. Smoking remains as the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, and Big Tobacco is still targeting Black, LGBTQIA+, American Indians and young people; it’s time to put a stop to it.”

A report commissioned by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota shows that smoking is responsible for 6,530 deaths annually in Minnesota. On top of that, smoking costs our state $9.4 billion dollars in excess health care costs and lost productivity each year.

It’s evident that the tobacco industry targets communities that already face significant racial and health inequities. Ending the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco products would be a critical step toward addressing these inequities in Minnesota, especially considering that young people, Black, LGBTQ+, and Native American communities are disproportionately targeted, harmed and are losing their lives.

In 2022, the FDA announced proposed product standards to prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes, yet almost three years later, there has been no movement towards a federal ban. The lack of movement is what is pushing organizations like the Association for NonSmokers-Minnesota (ANSR) to take the fight to the local levels, pushing policies that will mitigate some of the inequities in health outcomes for communities in Minnesota. So far in Minnesota, the following communities have addressed the sale of flavored commercial tobacco products:

Even with all these policies in place, the work is still not done. “We shouldn’t have to work this hard to save lives. We shouldn’t have to tackle this problem county by county, city by city, but we are, and we will continue to do so.” said Alexis Stanley, communications and advocacy consultant for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. “We will continue to support organizations that are doing all the hard work that comes with fighting Big Tobacco, so we can protect our kids and our communities from the insidious influence of the tobacco industry. This work will save lives, and if the FDA doesn’t want to do it, I know a handful of strong-willed advocates and organizations that will.”

As Minnesota moves forward, the need for policies that go beyond local boundaries is critical. Relying on federal mandates is not feasible given the increasing smoking-related deaths, rising healthcare costs, and increased commercial tobacco use by the youth. By implementing a statewide ban on menthol and flavored tobacco products, Minnesota can lead the way in prioritizing public health and equity. Advocates, policymakers, and the public must work together to ensure that Minnesota’s next steps in combating commercial tobacco are marked by decisive action, resulting in healthier communities and a brighter, tobacco-free future for all Minnesotans.